As another successful year comes to a close, it’s hard not to take a trip down memory lane to see how far ACD/Labs has come since 1994.

From the very beginning, ACD/Labs has been focused on offering innovative molecular characterization software for comprehensive chemically-relevant coverage of the complete project—as a scientist would see it. While individual products are available, the goal has always been to support all aspects of decision-making around chemical substances on their way to becoming a commercially successful product.

When I joined ACD/Labs in 2001, the software was on version 5 and already offered a host of tools to support chemical R&D—chemistry drawing and management modules, a full nomenclature package, a set of NMR tools from Predictors and NMR Managers to Structure Elucidator, a range of analytical processing and data management products for MS, Optical, chromatography and method development, simulated chromatographic separations and various physicochemical property predictors, such as pKa and LogD.

We are fully committed to continue developing the individual components of our characterization portfolio, being supported by our many customers who continue to use our individual products. However, the greatest value, as our customers attest, is in the software’s ability to combine all of the information necessary to find answers, fuel decisions, and enable reporting, submissions, and registrations.

Chemistry knowledge amassed from a variety of instrumental analytical measurements plays a principle role in molecular characterization, both in industry and in our portfolio. As many pieces come together to build the puzzle, a variety of analytical results form the comprehensive knowledge around a mixture or an individual structure. ACD/Spectrus Platform helps you bring together, interpret, and assemble projects that combine live data from a variety of analytical techniques—LC/HPLC/UHPLC, Optical (IR, Raman, etc), MS, NMR—and vendors. The platform also offers less technical, but nevertheless critical, parameters that describe chemical samples and their content. From the analyst’s perspective, knowledge of the chemistry of the sample (pKa, logP, logD and other characteristics, the history of the sample, the suggested reaction, even the chemical name) offers clues to fast identification, structure confirmation, or elucidation; whether in a research lab or at a production site.

In both industry and academia, instrumental analytical chemistry is the cornerstone of decision-making, process development and regulatory approval. From problem solving analytical labs to those that submit regulatory filings, project teams have been using the full body of knowledge that ACD/ Spectrus,ACD/Name and ACD/Percepta bring together to answer questions and address issues. ACD/Labs’ tools started with complete chemical characterization of single organic molecules, then moved on to mixtures and samples, and lately we have been working on the life-cycle and management of impurities as a means of establishing effective control strategies.

The introduction of Luminata earlier this year embodies the value that our portfolio of products provides to scientists for the past two decades. It supports diverse project teams from various departments and groups that work on the same product through its lifecycle in the industrial environment. Luminata offers new advances in product characterization and development, lifecycle control strategies, and knowledge management around chemical impurities. It was gratifying to see Luminata instantly recognized with an Innovation Award from the Analytical Scientist just last week.

Luminata is certainly a highlight of 2017, for me. However, Luminata is not the culmination of the work we have been doing for the past 23 years—our commitment to comprehensive molecular characterization is an ongoing work in progress. We continue to actively develop Luminata and other software solutions that accelerate mission-critical processes to help our customers in chemistry-driven industries innovate and operate at their utmost efficiency.

In 2018 I look forward to hearing more success stories from customers and partners, achieved through their own innovations and efforts, and supported by ACD/Labs’ software.

Wishing you a joyful Holiday season, and success and happiness in 2018.